793.94/6649
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 5.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a memorandum21 of a conversation which I had on April 3 with Sir Alexander Cadogan, British Minister to China, in which, after I had given him certain information already reported to the Department (despatch No. 2611 of March 27, 193422 with regard to the difficult position of General Huang Fu in North China, Sir Alexander made some comment with regard to the attitude of Great Britain in case a war between Japan and Soviet Russia should break out.
Sir Alexander, while recently in Nanking, was asked by Dr. Wang Ching-wei, President of the Executive Yuan and Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, what Great Britain would do in case of such a war and Sir Alexander replied that China could not count upon Great [Page 109] Britain’s becoming involved in any such war. Dr. Wang informed him that in case of a Kusso-Japanese war China would remain neutral. Sir Alexander gained the impression that the Chinese were all very desirous of such a war.
Respectfully yours,